I. Field
The following description relates generally to wireless networks, and more particularly to the reduction of processing overhead in a wireless network environment.
II. Background
Wireless communication networks are commonly used to communicate information regardless of where a user is located and whether a user is stationary or moving. Generally, wireless communication networks are established through a mobile device (or “access terminal”) communicating with a series of base stations (or “access points”). When multiple access terminals are being serviced by a single access point, the access point may be used to allocate and de-allocate resources, e.g., specific frequency components in an Orthogonal Frequency Divisional Multiplexed (OFDM) system, as well as control the power output and other aspects of each access terminal.
Typically, the allocation of resources and control of individual access terminals can be handled through a common “control channel” broadcasted by an access point to the access terminals. That is, as an access point broadcasts individual packets of control information, each access terminal responsive to the access point can receive the packets, extract the control information from the packets, and act upon the control information should the control information require some reconfiguration of the respective access terminal's operation.
Unfortunately, this approach to controlling individual access terminals can come at the price of wasted computing overhead.
Accordingly, methods and systems for reducing the computational overhead associated with wireless control channels may be useful.